


Peppermint Cherry Bleach

by wrabbit



Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: Bubblegum, Comment Fic, Community: shkinkmeme, Gen, Prompt Fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-11-24
Updated: 2010-11-24
Packaged: 2017-10-13 08:49:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 521
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/135405
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wrabbit/pseuds/wrabbit
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sherlock, Mycroft and John share some gum. In that order. (Spiritual sequel to You're A Taboo).</p>
            </blockquote>





	Peppermint Cherry Bleach

Sherlock, John shortly discovered, had a weakness for chewing gum the likes of which John had only ever associated with a caricature of a teenage girl, although as far as John knew Sherlock had never suffered any embarrassing gum and hair related tragedies and he didn't go about leaving gum corpses on the dishes, thank god. He did occasionally blow bubbles, though.

Sherlock stepped in the corner store every few days, only instead of the cigarettes, he regularly turned his attention to the shelf below them these days. Whenever a new flavor was released, no matter how strange, Sherlock would find it and Sherlock would try it and instead of sneaking cigarettes in dirty alleyways, Sherlock and Lestrade would sneak double bubble strawberry martini.

John couldn't get over that last bit.

He had to excuse himself from the room when the first thing Mycroft did upon entering their flat was to toss Sherlock a pack of what looked suspiciously like chewing gum. Sherlock examined the label and humphed in grudging acceptance. Mycroft proceeded to sit as if completing some kind of ritual and John had to hide his sudden inappropriate hysteria by hurriedly boiling some water in the kitchen.

He felt safe enough, and curious enough, to join them a few minutes later with the tea. They sat. Mycroft and Sherlock gazed steadily at each other like competing statues. Sherlock blew a bubble, and John burnt his tongue on his tea.

"This is the second worst cherry gum I've ever had," Sherlock said.

Mycroft frowned and tutted sympathetically. "Unfortunate," he said. "May I?"

John watched as Sherlock stood up and instead of taking out a new piece, removed the red, shapeless lump from his tongue and held it out between his thumb and forefinger. John swallowed his, still too hot, tea the wrong way and coughed painfully as Mycroft solemnly accepted it. Mycroft placed it on his tongue and commenced chewing thoughtfully while John struggled for air.

"Breathe, John," Sherlock said absently.

Mycroft made a face of distaste, the bridge of his nose creasing delicately even as he continued to chew Sherlock's discarded gum. "Awful," he said. "John, would you care to try it?" Mycroft removed the, now twice pre-owned, wad of gum off his tongue and held it politely out to John on a forefinger.

"What? No, no I'm... good. I'm good, thanks." He glanced from Sherlock to Mycroft and back again several times.

"You've got to be kidding me."

Mycroft had that look on his face, that unfailingly civil look the more intense versions of which even Sherlock expressed apprehension at denying. John sighed at his tea which had so failed to protect him. John took the gum.

It was warm and thick and tasted like peppermint cherry gone wrong with a batch of cleaning fluid. He spit it out in his palm after a few gracious chews and gulped at his tea like it was water, until it was gone and he could still taste the chemical cherry and feel the teeth marks Mycroft left in the sticky piece of horror on his tongue.

"Awful," he concurred roughly.


End file.
